If there’s a plugin missing from here that you would like included, reply below.
This list is not a guarantee that a plugin will receive a GUI. It is only intended so that users of this community who wish to create plugins can coordinate better.
To users who wish to create a design:
The MOD team will review and approve any GUI’s. Not all plugins are candidates for community-created GUIs
Some plugins (like the Calf suite) require specific design/assets.
Before doing any work, let everyone know you want to work on a plugin by replying below. We don’t want someone putting in effort into a plugin just to have someone else’s design get implemented.
Once you’re ‘assigned’ a plugin, submit a mockup of the design to get initial feedback before putting all the effort into fine-tuning it.
Expect to be asked to make revisions, and to provide the source files (svgs or stock assets)
Any third party assets must have liberal licensing, and that licensing and source needs to be documented.
This thread was created as an offshoot of that one. Thanks to @LievenDV for sparking the conversation.
It appears the Calf suite is quite popular (as I expected) - But these use a specific design style. I’m unclear as to whether the Calf folks are building the MOD UIs themselves or if this is something we could do as a communal effort. Can anyone from MOD or Calf chime in on this?
The same question really applies to any potential plugin. Some developers likely want to design the UI themselves ala K-Devices, etc.
We will need to be sure that any individual plugin is an appropriate target for a community design.
Additionally, if MOD could provide a list of plugins that already have a GUI that they would like to be redone, that would also be great.
this is a good idea and I would appreciate it if you can keep everything pinned in the first post. Is there a count or poll option that I can view (and select) the plugins - so I don’t have to read everyone’s posting.
I think this is the third or fourth thread heading in the similar direction discussing guis (in a more loose term) and maybe the time to use something outside of the forum that can help better organize this. (and keep everything in one place). In the end there only will be a few people weighing in and even less contributing. There also more things to consider like the devs of the plugin or the MOD team itself and there direction. (has already discussed a few time). Not to mention the preferred style taste of everyone (not in general but only the people who are devoting time actually producing something- which will be sometimes far apart).
In general something is better than nothing but I would not start developing guis without a set of guidelines (that is accepted by some form of majority or based on objective points, or even comes from the MOD team directly). I think without these there always will be a incoherent look and feel - and endless discussion of button, showdowns of button, sizes, shapes and so on.
This will always be a double-edge sword as MOD Platform relies heavy on other devs and doesn’t want to shy away potential ones with strict guidlines (like apple or android does with there platforms).
But maybe the no guidlines thing is that sets MOD apart from big players like kemper, line 6, neural dsp. Sorry for that long post but I came to the conclusion for myself that the MOD Platform is more in the realm of a DAW meaning you get VSTs in all variations (good and bad) a have to adapt it to you workflow or dismiss some parts of it.
maybe the time to use something outside of the forum that can help better organize this. (and keep everything in one place).
My plan is to collect the responses to this, filter them through the MOD team (and if applicable the plugin developer) and make the final list available on Github.
But discussion still needs to happen on this forum, as this is where the users will be, and the wider community feedback is important.
Maybe it needs its own forum category. [Edit: I just realized there already is one.]
I would not start developing guis without a set of guidelines
I am of the opinion that these guidelines will never actually be created until we have movement on individual designs, where feedback can be given and specifications decided on as they crop up.
Hopefully in my comments I’ve been clear that moving forward with any design is dependent on MOD/dev approval - But to quote @brummer:
That quote was from almost 4 months ago.
I am of this opinion. This is an open platform and is essentially a hardware plugin host. That’s why I chose the Dwarf, and that’s the way it is at the current time. Additionally, IMO it’s better for individual plugin developers to be able to maintain their own brand style.
If a different direction is desired, GUIs can be redesigned at that time. In the meantime, I personally think there is a lot of improvement that could be made to make the platform more desirable for everyone involved.
That said, if the MOD team or the community disagree and would prefer me not taking this action, I will stop. At the end of the day I’m just doing it because I personally find it fun, and am enjoying it as a hobby.
Well written, fistful! I agree. The platform must be easier to use and, above all, less vulnerable. The GUI plays an outstanding role here (but also the gain staging, which should also be enhanced).
maaan I’m just glad to get a sense of what beta plugins other people think are really usable, I have enough decision paralysis trying to figure out which of the regular plugins I like best… hmmm maybe this maybe that, Shiroverb it is lol.
I can tell you that i use quite a lot the OBXD. This is the first that I remember that is great, it’s in beta and does not have a GUI. I use a couple more that are beta, but do have GUI.
I don’t use beta plugins on any of my boards if I can avoid them. I honestly had no idea which ones were being used regularly or that were safe to install performance-wise lmao
Thanks @FistfulOfStars for the initiative here. I do think that if people enjoy designing the GUIs there is no harm moving forward
In regard to whether there should be a consistent style and if there should be a guideline, maybe I can shed a bit of light
We have a spectrum of users that ranges from tinkerers and developers up to pure guitarists who are borderline technophobic. We have guys who are at home in linux and love to SSH into their device and manually adjust plugin parameter values, and we have guys who are at home on MacOS or even just devices like the HX Stomp and very much want a polished out of the box experience and may even be put off by inconsistent or unexpected interaction
We have to cater to both. If the platform is to grow, it needs to be an easy and clean experience for any user. At the same time, we want to provide for the guys who are keen to dig deeper and for the devs that want the freedom to make what they want to make
The end goal is that there are 2 plugin environments: Official and Labs (currently beta)
For plugins to make it into the Official store, they will have to make it past the scrutiny of the MOD team. This is so that we can ensure a clean, consistent out of the box experiance. So GUIs will have to follow our design guide to make it through. So if the community are to make a GUI for plugin, of course the dev should approve it, but if the intention is for it to be in the offical store, it will need to be approved by MOD at the last stage
I know this is frustrating to hear because we haven’t given a design guide yet so it’s very subjective but it will come soon and in the mean time, we can offer feedback to get it to that point
As for the Labs/Beta environment, you guys can feel free to work with devs to make GUIs for plugins that don’t have one yet. We at MOD will give feedback if it’s wanted
I don’t believe the work would go to waste. Just be sure to keep your working files so that things can be adjusted as time goes on and the guideline takes form. Every new GUI better informs the process and the guideline
Sorry for hijacking this a bit, but: Did you ever had the discussion about the purposes of the design in general?
I see how new and non technical users might be interested in something which reminds one of hardware. But as a user who worked with some node based workflows, the MOD UI feels super bloated. I’d rather have a very simplistic, modern approach which also doesn’t waste much space and takes advantage of actually being software Not that extreme like Poly Effects (MaxMSP, PD, vvvv, Reactor, you name it) does because then you don’t have a single clue on what’s going on. More in these directions:
I’m bringing this up here because it might be way easier to create simplistic interfaces like this than having anything “designy”. Perhaps even in an automated way. Perhaps this would actually save you from the task to come up with a comprehensive “design guide”.
Not that extreme like Poly Effects (MaxMSP, PD, vvvv, Reactor, you name it) does because then you don’t have a single clue on what’s going on. More in these directions:
